Grease trap



A. GORDON March-29, 193:2.k

GREASE TRAP Filed Aug. 25, 195o s sheets-sheet 1 .5. (E) c@ .Iran 5' March 29, 1932. y ..l GORDON 1,851,172

A; GORDON GREASE TRAP March '29, 1932.

Filed Aug. 25. v-1930 's sheets-sheet 5 Patented Mar. 2 9, '1932 )UNITED sTATEs Mann cannon; or omesso, ILLINOIS Gassen 'maar This invention relates to a novel and improved apparatus for treating waste water' from kitchens, slaughter houses, packing houses and the like, for the removal of fat 5 or the like from those waters.

The main object of the invention is to rovide a novel, and improved apparatus o the character described, havin associated therewith refrigerating means or cooling the en- 151 tirebody of said apparatus whereby the wasteA water entering said device will be kept oo nstantly cold, conge'aling the grease as' soon as it enters the same.

' Another object of this invention is to pro- '-.15 vide, in anapparatus of the character described, a novel and im roved means for constantly cooling the entire body of said apparatus whereby the grease or fat present inf the waste water entering saidapparatuswill 2' be immediately congealedand prevented from entering the outlet 'from said apparatus A further object of this invention is to provide, in an apparatus of the character described, a znovell and improved separator @whereby the wastev water-entering said aplwater supply through said chilling chamber.I

paratus will be causedto obliquely-change its direction of flow, thus disturbing the equilibrium'of the saidwaste water whereby separation of the various components of the mixf: ture having different speccxgmvity is begun.

A still further object o f this invention is to provide in an apparatus of the character described, a novel and improved separator i which uis adapted to cause'a change in-the di'- rection-of iiow of the waste water entering .said apparatus, said chan e in direction resulting in a separation o the v arious components of the waste water, and means associated with saidapparat'us adapted for chilling the entire body of said apparatus as well as the separator.

A still fu her object of the invention is to provide a grease trap of thecharacter described, having means vassociated` therewith for cooling the entire body offsaid trap,a novel and improved separator disposed within` said trap and also having cooling means associated therewith whereby the waste wa- 53 ter entering said'trap will be immediately -means for maintaining a uniform'tempera-v ture within said trap.

applicano; mea A ugmt as, leso. serial 1wu..4.'z7,5e.`

chilled, congealing the ease present therein, which will immediate y iow to the top, a clean-out cover provided on'said trap for. removing said grease as frequently as is necessary, and an outlet for s'gd trap for remov- Q5 ing the waste water after it has discharged its grease.A v 7 A still further object of this invention is Y.

to provide a grease trap of the character described, having refrigerating means associat o0 edtherewith .whereby the entire body of said trap will be maintained at a constantly low temperaturevwhereby the'waste water enter` ing said trap will be immediately chilled, causing the grease present therein to be congealed, whereupon it will tothe top, al1A outlet for said waste water disposed adjacent the lower endv of said tsrap, anda thermostatic control associated with said refrigerating Y I A still further object ofthis invention is to provide a grease trap of the character described, having a chilling chamber associated therewith and means for conducting a cold 75 -A still further object of this invention is to'provide a` grease trap of the character described, a novel and improved separator disposed within said trap, said separator being iadapted to cause a change in the direction of flow ofv the waste vwater entering said trap. Said separator is off substantially Up-shaped cross-section, and is -.adapted to cause `said wastewater to flow downwardly to the'lower portion of the trap, then upwardly along the side opposite to .that of the inlet of the said trap, .and then downwardly again to the center portion of said trap from which the waste water which has discharged its grease may escape through the outlet provided at the base onzthe inside of said substantiall U-shaped separator. A

A still further object of this invention is to Y provide in a grease trap of the character described, a novel and improved separator, said separator being of substantially U-shaped cross-section,.and is adapted to extend acro the full length of said trap whereby the waste water entering said trap willbe forced'to flow l under the base portion of said separator, thenv upwardly and over one ofthe leg portions thereof,l which change in direction of ow-will cause a separation of the component parts of the waste water, the clear waste water flowing to thebottom of the separator) from which it may be discharged through the .outlet provided at that point. y A still further object of this invention islto provide an apparatus of the character described, which will be composed of few and simple parts constructed along lines convenient for low cost manufacture, which may be readil assembled and disassembled, 'and which will be highly eicient for carrying out the purposes for which it isdesigned. 1 Withthe foregoing and other)` ob]ects in 'vie w, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, itbeing understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of the struc-A ture may be-made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the inventiom A bodimentsthereof, from an inspectionx 0f For the p urpbse of facilitating an understanding of'my invention I have illustrated in the accompanying drawings preferred emwhich, when considered in connection with Y the following description, my invention, its

appereciated.

mode of construction, and many of.its advantag should be readily understood and ferringto the drawings, inwhich lar characters of reference are employed to 'indicate corresponding parts throughout the several of the drawings:

l modification;

Figure 6 is a sectional view of a still further modified form; and

Figure 7 is'anv enlarged view of a thermostatic control means which maybeaociated with the form shown in Figures 1 and 3.-.

Stated generally, the invention comprises a grease trap havinga cooling jacket provided 4therefor for chilling or maintaining the inner walls of .said trap at a comparatively low Y temperatureV This may be accomplished by ythe provision of refrigcrating coils'disposed within said cooling jacket, or by the passage I of cold water through said cooling `jacket.

When the latterimethod is emplo ed,`a1

water supply lis-V conducted throlig the chilling chamber so that whenever water is drawsn at the kitchen sink, -a` fresh'su'pply of cold water enters the vjacket.' cold water may be precooled by the provision of a relatively long coil disposed within an ice cooled chamber, said chamber beingV rovided on the grease trap adjacent'the-in et of the cold water supplyinto the chilling chamber.

The interioi' of thetrap 'is provided with improved separator, which may be of' e any suitable manner, andthe top of said separator is removably secured in. place adv jacent the upper end of said trap whereby the same may be readily removed from the trap whenever it is found necessary to clean thel sediment accumulated at the bottom of said trap.4

' Disposed within the separator adj aeent the 'lowermost portion thereof, is the outlet' lead- .ing from the trap. -If desired,the saidsep-f arator may be provided with a cooling jacket similar to that provided for the trap', said.v cooling'jacket having suitable refrigerating 'coils extending therethrough for the purpose fof chilling the same, or it may have a supply Aof cold water conducted therethrough 1n a y manner similar to that employed in eo'nnec- 'tion with the trap itself. A suitable screen may be intermediate the top and bottom of said separator for the purpose of Acatching the lighter sediment; such asV cotton waste, toothpicks'and the like which may have risen to the top ofthe trap and which would otherwise enter theoutlet from'said trap. The suitable removable cover is provided for the top Aof said trap whereby the grease accumulating in said trap may intermittently removed from the same as it slowly accumulates.

by characters of referencegthe numeral 10 designates the basin'prper, which is pen at its upper end, which'penmg may be closed by the cover 11 held in place thereon by means of suitable fastening means 12, said cover '11 having a central pening provided therein, which opening is osed Vby a cover 13 held in place by means of wing nuts 14. The latter construction permits the' quick and easy removal of thecover 13 to'perniit the. removal @Surrounding the major portion of the 10 is ajacket 15, which jacket is adapted to receive, inthe embodiment illustrated Ain Figure 1', a suitable refrigerating coil 16, said of; the grease' accumulated at the upper' por-1 Jti'on of the basin. V

coil. extending throughthe jacket, and is f adapted to maintain the said basin at a comparatively low temperature.' The said coil uo Referring to the drawings more 'specifically Y i 16 'may connected to vany suitable refrigerating device (not shown) and, as the speciiic construction of refrigerating means forms no part olf-V the present invention, it is not fthougiat necessary to describe the same-in more detail.

'i The numeral'17 designates the inlet of the Y basin, said inlet being connected to a T-.joint 18 on the inside of the basin to one end of 19 'against the-inner wall of the basin and ex- -which is connected the pipe i1 9 which is placed.

tends .downwardly to a pointintermediate the top and 'bottom of the basin, said `pipe -19 being adapted Yfor-drawing downwardly 'the waste waters entering the inlet17 The upper end of the joint'18 is provided with a plug 20, to which is detachably secured,

-by means ofthe nut 21 or in some other suitable manner, a plate `22t o .which plate is rigidly secured my improved separator generally designatedvb thereference character 23.

As shown in f iguresvl Vand 2 of the drawu ings, the said separator 23 isv of substantially Usha'ped,crosssection, and extends across the full llength of said basin' 10. The separator 23 comprises the inclined leg portions 24 and 25 and a substantially horizontally disposed-base .portion 26. In addition'to the `supporting plate l22, the'separator 23 may also be supported at its lower-end by means of the supports 27 provided on the bottom separator. v

In the embodlment illustrated in Figure 1,

the separator 23 is'also provided with a cool' I y "charged its grease content, the lower portionv .wall of the basin 10, there being one of such said supports adjacent each side of thebasin. When in aembled position, as shown in Fig- ,ure 1 of the drawings,I the base portion 26 I of the separator -is spaced' from the bottom wall of the vbasin topermit the passage ofthe waste water between the bottom. wall and said ing jacket 28 in which is disposed a portionv of the cooling vc oil `16 whereby the temperature, of the walls1 'of said separator may be maintained at'a comparatively low degree.

The said separator is so disposed within the basis-10 as toV cause the waste water entering said basin to ilw around the outside wall. A thereof and over the upperl portion of thel leg 25 and then downwardly into the space be-V tween the two leg portions of the separator. An outlet pipe29 is provided for Acarrying away the waste water 'after the same has-disof said outlet pipe 29 being disposed on the inside ofthe'separator adjacent the -lowermost portion thereof.` Intermediate the top.l and bottom .of said separator is' .provlded'aaf v suitable screen 30, said-screen. being adapted to retain what sediment or solid impurities Qget into thef downlowof 'the'wast'e water'- as the samgpassesY over the upper portion of 'the lleg`25of the separator. gThis sediment is generally the lighter element such' asY cot-r v iton Awaste,.toothpicks the like, which are generally present in the water ing hom dental laboratories and the like.

In operation of the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 and2 of the drawings, the waste water, as it comes from the kitchens, slaughter house, packing house, or any other such grease or fat producing place, ilows through the inlet 17 under pressure or gravity into v ofthe separator and the bottom wall of the basin, Aand then upwardly along the other side of said basin through the space between the side .wall of the basin and the leg 25 of the separator, and then over the free upper end of thesaid leg 25, and down again into the space between the two leg portions of the separator. Y Because of the change of direc-l tion of llow of the waste water the equilibrium of the components of the mixture will be disturbed.V whereupon the grease and fat parti` cles will force their way upward and will accumulate at the upper level of the liquid in the basin, whereas the' water which has discharged its grease and fat particles, as well 'as any lighter sediment present' therein, will pass down the inclined 1eg'25 to the bottom' of the separator, from whence it may be conducted away through the outlet 29. It will be vreadily* apparenty that, in the lowof the" wastewater around the outerI wallof the separator, turbulence or eddies will be produced in the mixture resulting in a more ready separation of the grease or fat particles from the :All of the larger sediment or refuse passing into the basin will bgcause and deposited at the bottom ofthe basin, a portionY ofthe bottom wall of which may be disposed at an angle, as shown at 31, to. facilitate in the easy removal of said sediment from the bottomV of the basin. To remove this accumulation of sediment it is-only necessary to remove the coverl 11 and the separator 23, which is def; 'tachably secured in place by the astexpg means 21, whereby easy access may be ha' the bottom of the' basin 10. A suitable air vit 31 .may be provided'adjacent the upper end of said basin 10 to permit, the ready escape vof y'any gases formed-inthe basin..

What ne sediment is'not deposited atthe bottomfof the basin, and 'isoated upwardly portions of the .separator 23, rwill be retained and deposited on the-screen 30 provided be tween said leg portions, from which-itlmay be readily f removed at intermittent periods through theopeningclosedby the .cover 13.V

"Lto the topand into-therspa'ce between the leg i Byfproviding thererigerating means .through thechilling'chambefs 15 and 28 the be kept constantly cold,causing the grease or fat particles present therein to c'ongeal as tion is to vso - drawings,

soon as it enters the trap.` This congealed grease will immediatel float to the top, where it may be removed as requently as necesary Ythrough the clean-out cover 13.

As shown in Fi ire 1 of the drawings, the .upper free end o the leg portion 25 of the separator is disposed at a point below the level of the liquid, whereas' the upper free end of the other leg of said separator is'disposed at a point labove said level. This construcplermit the free flow of the waste water ,over t e upper edge yof the leg portion 25 even though` therehas been accumulated a considerable amount of grease at the level of the liquid in the basin.

In the modilied form shown in Figure of the drawings, the cooling jacket 15 for the basin 10 is eliminated, the congealing elect b cooling the waste water being accomp ished by the coolingchamber 28 provided in the separator 23. The principle of operation and the results attained from the use of the modified form shown in Figure 3 are similar .to'that of the form shown in Figure 1, and for that reason it isnot thought necessary to describe the same in more detail. j

In a 'similar manner the cooling jacket may be eliminated from the se arator provided on the basin 10. A modifie form with that object inview is illustrated in Figure 5 of the in which form the walls of the separator are of a single thickness and have no -means associated with them for chilling the same. In this form it Awill be noted that the chilling effect is produced by conducting a supply of cold water, which enters the chilling chamber 15 through the inlet pipe35 and escapes through the outlet pipe 36. In every other respect the operation of this modified form will be the same as described in connection with the embodiment illustrated in Figure l.

The modification shown in Figure 6 of the drawings is similar in constructlon to the modified form shown in Figure A5 with .the exception that the cold water supply passing through the chilling chamber 15 is precooled by passing the same through an ice cooled chamber 37 in which chamber a portion of the cold waterinlet/pipe 35 is coiled and d isposed so as to be qgpled by the ice placedlin the chamber 37 pr1 to the admission of the water into the chamber 15. The cold water outlet 36 may be connected to 'the .faucet at the kitchen sink'so that whenever water Iis drawnvat' the vsink a fresh. supply of. cold water'will enter the jacket. ,Jn the modification shown in Figure 7 lthere is provided, in addition to the. coolingcoil 16 for maintaining the chilling chamber at v a comparativelylowtemperature, a thermostatically vcontrolled 'valvefor maintaining said temperature at a predetermined constant degree. Obviously, anyk suitable lform of thermostatic control may be employed, and

which t e thermostatically controlled means c is disposed. The bellows 40 maybe filledwith asuitable medium which will cause the said bellows to'expand or contract, Qwhereupon the stem 39 will be actuated to either open or close the valve in the valveV casing ,38, admitting a larger or smaller amount of refrigerating medium to the coil 16 disposed in the chilling chamber. By this means it.will be noted that .the temperature maintained within the chillingchamber will be uniform and of a predetermined degree. l r

As shown in Figures 3 and 5 ofthe drawings, the screen 30 may be eliminated, the same not being necessary whenever the waste .y waters do not have present therein any`light .sediment such for example as cotton waste,

toothpicks and the like. This lighter sediment however, is generally, present in the waste waterf issuing from dental oces and the like, and the screen should be provided in the installation of a trap ofA this character to be used in connection with the purifying of the waste water issuingr from places where this nature of lighter sediment` may .be present.v

As'has been explained, the provision of the chilling chambers will cause a congealing of the grease or fat particles present in the waste water immediately .upon the entrance Y of the same into the trap, saidy congealing causing a readier separation of said greaseor fat particles frm the water. Also, by providing my improved separator, the waste water, in flowing through the trap, is made tur-A bulent so as to produce eddies therein, result- I ing in a breaking up of the various components4 of the mixture having diiferent'speciic gravities, with the result that the greasev or fat particles will rise to the top where they will accumulate and the vwater passing out Aof the outlet from thetrap will be free ofv all 4grease or fat particles.

It is believed that my invention, its. mode :of construction, and manyofits advantages should be readily understood from the/fore: going, without further description', and

.should also be manifest that while preferred embodiments ofthe invention have been shown and described for illustrative purposes, the structural details are, nevertheless,

capable of wide variation within the purview claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is 1. An apparatus of the character described, for separating grease from Waste water, having a basin provided with an' inlet aiid an outlet, a separator of substantially U-shaped cross-section disposed in said basin and spaced from 'the lower wall thereof, said separator outlet being close to the innerwall ofthe base extending across the full length of said basin, is adapted to cause the Waste water to How around the outer wall thereof before passing out of said outlet, the entrance end of said of'said separator. f

2. An apparatus of the character described, for separating grease from waste water having a basin rovided with an inlet andeoutlet, .a cooling jacket for said basin having a refrigerating coil disposed thereinfor maintaining said basin at a relatively 10W temperature, and a separator of substantially U-shaped cross-section disposed within said 'n 2*'5 basin and between saidinlet and outlet, and

a cooling jacket associated with aid separator having a refrigerating coi disposedr therein for maintaining the said separator at a relatively low temperature. v

3. An apparatus of the character described,

for separatingl grease from Waste water,hav

' within said basin between said inlet and out- Y before passing out of said outletlthe entrance e inner wall au le't, both said basin and separator being provided with chilling chambers for maintaining the same at a relatively low temperature, and refrigerating means disposed within said chilling chambers. l

5. An apparatus of the character described, for" separating grease from wastewater, having a basin provided Withan inlet and outlet,

aJ separator -of substantially U-s'haped cross section removably held in said basin and spaced fromithe lowerfwall thereof, said -separator exten said basin and adapted to cause said waste water Vto flow around the outer wall thereof end of said outlet being close to of the lbase' of said separator, and refrigerat- 'ingmea'n's associatedlwith said basin and sparator -for maintaining the same at a'. relatiyely low `temperaturewhereby the grease present the'wastewater will be congealedl immediately *upon 'entering saidv basin',

myiinvention as defined in the appended ,into said separator.

8.- An apparatus ofthe character described,

across the full lengthof mor jackets and means apparatus.

6. An apparatus of the character described,

'for separating grease and sediment from i Waste water, having a basin provided with an,

inlet and outlet, a separator of substantially U-shaped cross-section disposed in said basin aiid'spaced from the lower wall thereof, said separator being so disposed Within said basin as Ato cause the Waste Water entering said basin to fioW downwardly in a turbulent man ner and then upwardly to a point adjacent the upper end of said basin and then down- Wardly again to the entrance of said outlet,

said entrance being close to the inner walll ofthe base of said separator,and refrigerating means associatedwith both said basin and separator to cause the grease present in said waste water to Yconge'al immediately upon entering said basin.

7. A device of the characterl described for sepa-rating grease and other sediment from waste Water,'comprising a basin provided.l

withl an inlet and outlet, a separator of.' substantially U-shaped cross-section disposed'in said basin and adapted for causing a change in the direction of flow of the waste water after entering said basin, said separator extending across the fulllength of said basin f and adapted to cause the said waste water tol iiow around the outer Wall thereof and then down'intdthe said separator before passing out-of said outlet, the entrance-'end of said outlet being close to the inner Wall of'the base of said separator', and a screen disposed Within said separator and intermediate the top and Vbottom thereof for catching any lighter sediment that they may haveiio'ated for lseparating grease and other sediment from other waste water, comprising al basin provided with an inlet and outlet, a separator 4of substantially U-shapedi cross-sectiondisposed within said b'asin between said inlet and outlet, the entrance end of said outlet being close to the inner wall .of the base of said separator, anda screen disposed within said separator and extending across the full length thereof, said screen being held in place by theinner walls of said separator .intermediate the top and bottom thereof.

9. An apparatus of the character described, adapted for'separating grease and other sediment from waste water, comprising a basin provided with an inlet and outlet, a separator disposed. in lsaid basin between saidinlet and; et, a cooling jacket provided for said y out basin, a second coolingjacket'provided for' said separator, means for conducting a supply o f cold water through both of said/coolfor `precooliii said Cold water supply before -entering saig ing jackets wh'ereby a temperature low enoughto congeal the grease present ,in said waste water will be maintained within said coolv li6 f 1,851,179`

V 10.4An apparatus of the 'character described, for separating grease from waste water, comprising a basin provided with an inlet-and-outlet, a hollow'separator 's within said basin between said inlet an outlet, both said basin and se arator having means associated therewith or maintainin the same at a relativelylow temperature, an 1 a thermostatic control means associated with 1o said last mentioned means for automatically 'relllllating the temperature thereof. testimony whereof I affix m si ature.

ARTHUR GOD N. 

